Vauxhall Mallards gave their league campaign a much-needed kickstart with a crushing victory over Horsford on a rain affected day in the EAPL.Mallards' victory was one of only two positive outcomes and lifted them to fifth in the table and back amongst the pack battling to catch Swardeston and Bury St Edmunds.

Vauxhall Mallards gave their league campaign a much-needed kickstart with a crushing victory over Horsford on a rain affected day in the EAPL.

Mallards' victory was one of only two positive outcomes and lifted them to fifth in the table and back amongst the pack battling to catch Swardeston and Bury St Edmunds.

Horsford won the toss at Brundall and elected to bat, but it was a decision they were soon rueing as Rob Frylinck and Richard Moores sent them tumbling to nine for six.

Among those wickets were the prize trio of Jaik Mickleburgh, Duminda Perera and Chris Brown, who were all dismissed without scoring.

They were rescued from total humiliation by a seventh wicket stand of 63 between Matthew Warnes (17) and Jim Rice (39) and a last wicket partnership of 27 between Richard Gilliat and C Weber allowed them to scrape to 100 all out.

Frylinck finished with four wickets and Moores picked up three.

For the first time since the opening day of the season, Mallards openers Carl Amos and Rob Purton managed to put together a telling first wicket stand, with Amos playing the anchor role and Purton scoring more freely.

They had put on 81 before Purton (56) was bowled by Mickleburgh as their efforts all but won the game for the home side. Trevor Ward, who will now be available for the rest of the season for Mallards, joined Amos to ensure a nine-wicket victory.

Mallards skipper Paul Bradshaw said: "We had a poor result against Godmanchester last week and we had a long chat as a team. From there, we sorted a few things out and there has been a really positive response from the lads.

"If we can play like that every week, we will be a force to be reckoned with. This result should kick us on."

The other Norfolk derby, between Swardeston and Norwich, was in the balance when rain prevented a completion.

Norwich batted first and lost Mark Tipping early on, bowled by Michael Eccles, but solid contributions from Felix Flower (35), Matthew Ede (34) and Ashley Watson (36) allowed them to post a total of 153 all out.

Jaden Hatwell did most of the damage for Swardeston, taking four for 46, while Eccles bagged three for 22.

In the Swardeston reply, Loyala Herathge was immediately caught behind off Surappulige Malinga, but for the second week running, Daniel Martin stood firm and along with Rob Newton, took the score up to 45.

Newton was also caught behind and when Norwich skipper Chris Borrett trapped dangerman Hatwell lbw for 17, Norwich were very much in the game with the hosts on 63 for three.

Martin (20no) and Richard Sims (9no) were beginning to rebuild the Swardeston effort when the game was abandoned, the home side finishing on 79 for three.

Great Witchingham had barely started their reply to Bury's innings when the game at Walcis Park was called off.

The home side had bowled Bury out for 185, with Lance Shaw taking four for 46 and Carl Rogers four for 40.

Only nine balls were possible in the Witchingham innings, as they reached one without loss.

The other result in the EAPL saw Godmanchester beat Cambridge Granta by nine wickets.